Who is the greatest saint in the world?
Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world? It is not he who gives the most alms, or is most noteworthy for temperance, chastity or justice.
It is he who is always thankful to God, wills everything that God wills, receives everything as an instance of God's goodness, and has a heart always ready to praise God for it.
All prayer and devotion, fasting and repentance, meditation, sacraments and ordinances are only ways to make the soul fit and conformable to the will of God--and to fill it with thankfulness and praise for everything that comes from God.
This is the perfection of all virtues....
You need not wonder, therefore, that I lay so much stress upon singing a psalm at all your devotions, since you see its purpose is to bring your spirit to a constant state of joy and thankfulness to God, which is the highest perfection of a holy life.
If anyone would tell you the shortest and surest way to all happiness and perfection, he must tell you to make a rule to yourself to thank and praise God for everything that happens to you. For it is certain that whatever apparent calamity happens to you, if you thank and praise God for it, you turn it into a blessing.
If you could work miracles, you could not do more for yourself than by this thankful spirit, for it heals without speaking a word, and turns all that it touches into happiness.
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
No comments:
Post a Comment